Closure latch



July 30, 1968 w. s. zAYDl-:L 3,394,955

cLosURE LATCH Filed March 22, 1967 2 sheets-sheet 1 1 W w 2gb@ ,i Y 18S y e d 9742 /Mww ATTORNEY W. S. ZAYDEL CLOSURE LATCH July 3o, 196s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1967 NVENTOR. Mei/4W @ad ATTORNEY ,A

United States Patent O 3,394,956 CLGSURE LATCH Wieslaw S. Zaydel, Hamtramck, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,143 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-291) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vehicle body door lock includes a frame on which is pivotally mounted a fork type latch bolt having spaced shoulders lon an edge of the inboard leg thereof. A spring biased detent pivotally mounted on the frame includes a foot engageable with each of the bolt shoulders to locate the bolt in latched and intermediate positions. A blocking and detent release member is pivotally mounted on the frame and includes a blocking arm for blocking movement of the detent to released position when the detent foot is engageable with the shoulder of the bolt in latched position. The blocking and detent release member further includes an actuating arm which underlies the detent and overlies the armature of a solenoid and a sensing arm which rides on the surface of the inboard leg of the bolt when the bolt is in any position other than latched position to hold the blocking arm out of the path of movement of the detent. Energization of the solenoid swings the release member to initially move the blocking arm out of the path of movement of the detent and then move the actuating arm into engagement with the detent to move the detent to released position. An operating member is coaxially mounted with the detent and connected to an inside manually operable handle and an outside manually operable key cylinder assembly. The operating member includes an abutment overlying the detent to one side of the detent pivot and an abutment underlying the actuating arm of the blocking and release member to the other side of the detent pivot. When the operating member is moved about its pivot, it first moves the release member to move the blocking arm out of the path of movement of the detent and then moves the detent to released position.

SPECIFICATION This invention relates to closure latches and more particularly to detent release means for blocking type vehicle 'body door locks.

One feature of this invention is that it provides a closure latch having blocking means blocking movement of detent means to released position with respect to latch means, first operating means for moving the blocking means to an unblocking position and moving the detent means to released position and second operating means operable independently of the rst operating means for likewise moving the blocking means to unblocking position and the detent means to released position. Another feature is that the first operating means are power operated and the second operating means are mechanically actuated. A further feature is that the blocking means moves the detent means to released position when the first operating means are actuated and the second operating means moves the detent means to released position after first moving the blocking means to a position intermediate its blocking and unblocking positions. Yet another feature of this invention is that the detent means includes a detent lever and the second operating means includes an operating member coaxially mounted with the detent lever and engageable with the detent lever to one side of the pivot thereof to move the detent lever to released position and engageable with the blocking means to the other 3,394,956 Patented July 30, 1968 ICC side of the detent pivot to move the blocking means to the intermediate position. Still another feature of this invention is that the second operating means include an operating member operable from both the inside and the outside of a vehicle body.

These and other features of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a partial side elevational View of a vehicle body having a door 'latch mounted thereon including detent release means according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 3 3 of FIGURE 2 and showing the latch in door closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing operation of the release means;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 5-5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a partially broken away perspective view.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body designated generally 10 includes a front door 12 hinged adjacent its forward edge 14 on the body 10 for movement between a closed position as shown and an open position, not shown, to provide access to the interior of the body. A door latch 16 embodying detent release means according to this invention is mounted on the lock pillar wall of door 12 for cooperating engagement with striker means 18, FIGURE 2, mounted on an adjacent body pillar wall 20 to hold the door 12 in closed position. The door latch 16 is substantially the same, except for the detent release means as the closure latch covered by Ser. No. 546,415 Rogers, Jr., filed Apr. 29, 1966. Accordingly, only those details necessary for an understanding of this invention will be specifically described.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 through 6 of the drawings, latch 16 includes a main support plate 22 secured to wall 24 of door 12 by bolts 26 extending through wall 24 and into tapped embossments 28.

An auxiliary plate 30 is located in spaced relationship to the plate 22 by upper and lower flanges 32 staked to the plate 22.

A bolt designated generally 34 is pivotally mounted on a pin 36 which extends between and is staked to the plates 22 and 30. A coil torsion spring 38 encircles pin 36, with one end of the spring engaging a notched lateral tab of the bolt and the other end of the spring engaging a notched flange of frame 22. Spring 38 continually biases bolt 34 clockwise from latched position, as shown in FIGURE 3, to unlatched position, as shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, wherein the bolt is located against the action of spring 38 by the engagement of the outboard leg of the bolt with the outer flange 40 of frame 22.

The bolt is held in latched position by a detent designated generally 42. The detent is pivotally mounted on a pin 44 which extends between and is staked to the plates 22 and 30. A coil torsion spring 46 surrounds the pin 44. One end of the spring is hooked within `an opening in the upper ange 32 of plate 22 and the other end of the spring is hooked over a lateral offset flange 48 of the detent to bias the detent counterclockwise about pin 44. The detent includes a shoulder or foot 50 which is engageable with a shoulder 52 of the bolt to hold the bolt in latched position as shown in FIGURE 3. The foot 50 of the detent is also selectively and alternately engageable with another shoulder 54 of the bolt to hold the bolt in an intermediate latched position, not shown. The engagement of an arm 56 of the detent with the upper edge of an inner ange 58 yof frame 22, as shown in FIGURE 2, locates the detent with respect to the bolt in the latched position of the bolt to thereby locate the extent of engagement of the detent foot S with the bolt shoulder 52.

A unitary blocking and detent release member designated 60 is pivotally mounted on a pin 62 which extends laterally and inwardly of an inner ange 64 of plate 22. The member 60 includes an actuating arm or portion 66 and a laterally extending sensing arm or portion 68. A tension spring 70 hooked between an apertured tab of arm 66 and flange 58 biases member 60 clockwise about the pin 62 as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 6.

When the bolt 36 is in latched position, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, a depending blocking tab 72 of member 60 overlies the arm 56 of the detent 48 and the sensing arm 68 of the member 60 is located below foot 50 immediately adjacent shoulder 52. If for any reason the detent should be moved clockwise independently of movement of member 60, arm 56 of the detent will engage the tab 72 to the left of the pivot 62 to block such movement of the detent by lateral engagement of arm 66 with the detent.

When the bolt is in unlatched position as shown in FIGURE 4, the foot 50 of the detent engages the edge of the inboard leg of the bolt and the sensing arm 68 of the member 60 engages the surface of the inboard leg of the bolt to locate the blocking arm 72 out of the path of movement of the arm 56 of the detent and generally in a position immediately adjacent or in engagement with the surface of this arm.

When the bolt is in intermediate latched position, the foot 50 of the detent engages the bolt shoulder 54. The detent arm 56 is located in engagement with the upper edge of the frame flange 58 to fix the extent of engagement of the foot 50 with the shoulder 54. The sensing arm 68 of member 60 engages the surface of the inboard leg of the Ibolt to locate the blocking arm 72 out of the path of movement of arm 56.

As best shown in FIGURE 6, the upper surface of arm 66 of member 60 is generally tapered and underlies a leg of flange 48 of the detent.

A conventional solenoid 74 includes a bracket riveted to flange 58 to mount the solenoid on plate 22. The armature or plunger of the solenoid is located underneath the arm 66 of member 60 adjacent the outer end thereof, as shown in FIGURE 2. The solenoid is connected to the battery of the vehicle across an inside manually op erable switch, not shown, and an outside manually 0perable switch which may be incorporated in a key operated push button switch assembly 76 mounted in the outside door handle 78, FIGURE 1.

When it `is desired to move the detent 42 to released position from engagement with the shoulder 52 of the bolt 34, the solenoid 74 is energized to extend the solenoid armature and swing member 60 counterclockwise about the pivot 62, as viewed in FIGURE 2. This will initially move the blocking tab 72 out of the path of movement of the detent arm 56 and then move the arm 66 into engagement with the overlying leg of the detent ange 48 to swing the detent clockwise about the pivot 44 to released position as member 60 moves to unblocking position and the bolt moves to unlatched position, FIGURE 4. Upon deenergization of the solenoid, the spring 46 swings the detent 42 counterclockwise and holds the detent foot 50 in engagement with the edge of the inboard leg of the bolt, while the spring 70 swings the member 60 clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 2, to move the arm 68 of the member 60 into engagement with the surface of the inboard leg of the bolt and maintain the blocking arm 72 out of the path of the detent arm 56.

The latch 16 further includes detent release means for releasing the detent independently of actuation of the solenoid 74. The detent release means includes an operating member 80 which is coaxially mounted with the detent 42 on the pin 44. A coil tension spring 82 is hooked between an offset ange of the member and an apertured tab of plate 30, FIGURE 5, to bias the member 80 counterclockwise of the pin 44 at all times. The engagement of the upper edge of the member 80 with a -bent tab 84, FIGURE 3, of the upper flange 32 of frame 22 locates the member 80 against the action of the spring 82. As best shown in FIGURE 6, one arm of the member 80 includes an offset abutment 86 which overlies a lateral tab or flange 88 of the detent 42. This arm of the lever 80 additionally includes a lateral apertured flange 90 which is connected by a shiftable rod 92, FIGURES 3 and 4, and bellcrank to an inside remote handle 94, FIGURE l. Any other suitable inside' manually operable member may likewise be used.

The outer arm of the member 80 includes a laterally extending apertured flange 96 which is connected by a shiftable rod 98 to an outside key cylinder assembly 100, FIGURE 1. Additionally the other arm of the member 80 includes an angular ange or tab 102 which underlies a laterally extending tab 104 of the arm 66 of member 60.

Should it be desired to release the detent 42 :from engagement with the bolt 34 when the bolt is in latched position, either the handle 94 or the key cylinder 100 is operated to swing the member 80 clockwise of the pivot 44, as viewed in FIGURE 3, against the action of the spring 82. Initially the flange 102 will engage the tab 104 to swing the member 60 about its pivot 62 and move the blocking arm 72 out of the path of movement of the detent arm 56. Immediately after this initial movement of the member 80, the abutment 86 will engage ,the detent tab 88 and swing the detent clockwise to released position as the flange 102 continues to move the member 60 to unblocking position. The spacing between ange 102 and the tab 104 is less than the spacing between the abutment 86 and the tab 88 such that the blocking arm 72 of the member 60 is moved out of the path of movement of the detent arm 56 before there is any engagement of the abutment 86 with the tab 88. After such movement has occurred, it will be noted that there is no engagement of the arm 66 of the member 60 with the leg of the detent ange 48 as occurs when the solenoid 74 is energized to move the detent to released position.

Thus the detent release means are actuated independently of any energization of the solenoid 74 and may be used at any time to release the detent 42 from engagement with the bolt 34.

Release of the detent 42 from engagement with the bolt shoulder 54 occurs in the same manner as described. When the bolt is in intermediate position, the arm 72 is out of the path of movement of the detent arm 56 due to the engagement of the sensing arm 68 with the surface of the bolt, as previously described. The spacing between the ange 102 and the tab 104 is greater in the intermediate position of the bolt so that engagement of the flange and tab occurs about the same time as the engagement of abutment 86 with the detent tab 88.

When the bolt is in latched position, the throat of the bolt engages the shank of the striker means 18 and a rotatable wedge or shoe 106 pivoted to the plate 30 engages the head of the striker means. The shoe 106 is covered by application Serial No. 579,279 Leslie, tiled Sept. 14, 1966 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, and reference may be had to this application for the details of the shoe and the operation thereof.

Thus, this invention provides an improved vehicle body closure latch.

I claim:

1. A vehicle body closure latch comprising, in combination, support means, latch means mounted on the support means for movement between latched and unlatched position, detent means mounted on the support means for movement between holding and released posi tions with respect to the latch means, blocking means mounted on the support means for movement between blocking and unblocking positions, cooperating means on the blocking means and detent means for blocking movement of the detent means to released position in the blocking position of the blocking means, second cooperating means on the detent means and the blocking means for moving the detent means to released position upon movement of the blocking means to unblocking position, first operating means for moving the blocking means to unblocking position, second operating means mounted on the support means for movement between operating and nonoperating positions, third cooperating means on the second operating means and the blocking means for moving the blocking means to unblocking position independently of actuation of the rst operating means, and means for actuating the second operating means from either the inside or the outside of the body.

2. A vehicle body closure latch comprising, in cornbination, support means, latch means mounted on the support means for movement between latched and unlatched positions, detent means mounted on the support means for movement between holding and released positions with respect to the latch means, blocking means mounted on the support means for movement between blocking and unblocking positions, means on the blocking means for moving the detent means to released position upon movement of the blocking means to unblocking position, power operating means for moving the blocking means to unblocking position, an operating member mounted on the support means for movement between operating and nonoperating position, rst means on the operating member engageable with the blocking means for moving the blocking means to unblocking position independently of actuation of the power operating means, and second means on the operating member engageable with the detent means upon movement of the blocking means :by the operating member to a position intermediate the blocking and unblocking positions thereof and cooperable with the rst means for moving the detent means to released position.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein the detent means is rotatably mounted on the support means for movement in one rotative direction from holding to released position with respect to the latch means and the operating member is rotatably mounted on the support means for movement in the same rotative direction from nonoperating to operating positions, the operating member having one portion to one side of the pivot thereof engageable with the detent means and having another portion to the other side of the pivot thereof engageable with the blocking means for moving the blocking means from blocking to unblocking positions.

4. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein the power operating means is engageable with the blocking means adjacent the engagement of the latter by the operating member for moving the blocking means to unblocking position and moving the detent means to released position independently of movement of the operating member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,031,738 2/1936 Schoch 292-210 X 3,232,656 2/1966 Coverley et al. 292-216 X RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner. 

